Wash-board



(No Model.)-

Y G. P. FULLER.

, 'WASH BOARD. No. 336,910; Patented Mar. 2, 1886 GEORGE P.' FULLER, OF MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA.

WASH-BOARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Application filed June 3, 1895.

Patent No. 336,910, dated March 2, 1886.

Serial No. 167,500. (No modcl.) i

To all whom may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE P. FULLER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Minneapolis, in the county ot' Hennepin and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wash-Boards, of which the following is aspecication, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to wash-boards; and it has for its object to provide an article of this character which will effect a rapid cleansing of the clothes with light rubbing, thus saving time, labor, and unnecessary wear upon the goods.

With these ends in view the said invention consists in certain details of construction and combination of parts, as will be hereinafter set forth, and particularly pointed out in the' claim.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view oi' my improved washhoard. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse vertical section. Fig. 4 is a detached view of a portion of the corrugated plate, showing the perforations therein made countersunk; and Fig. 5 shows the Walls of the perforations bent or turned downward.

Like letters are used to indicate corresponding parts in the several figures.

Referring to the drawings, A is the body or frame of the wash-board, having the usual shape, and consisting of the side strips or rails, B B, connected interniediately of their ends by the transverse pieces C O, and joined together at the top by the end rail, D. A board, E, extends across and connects the side rails,

B, and end rail, D, on the inner side, so as to form a soap-receptacle, in a manner and for 'the purpose well known.

F designates a corrugated zinc plate received within the side strips and arranged between the transverse pieces C C. The upper and lower ends of this plate are turned inward, as at a, so as to be received within longitudinal slots b, provided in the upper face of the pieces O C. The side edges of the plate F are received within longitudinal grooves or recesses d, provided along the inner sides of the strips or rails B, and in this manner the plate is securely tted in proper position, so as to be held from detachment. The corrugations of the plate F are very deep, and form elevated arched ridges e, separated by deep furrows or depressions f, in which the suds are retained to keep the goods sufliciently damp in the rubbing process. Along the arched ridges or corrugations e are provided a series of perforations, h, the upper walls of which are made countersunk or beveled inward, as at Fig. 4, or bent or turned downward, as in Fig. 5, so as to prevent them from cutting or otherwise injuring the clothes.

G G designate a pair of round vertical rods having their respective ends fitted neatly in the transverse pieces C C', arranged on each side of the middle 'line of the plate F, so as tosupport it in place.

The operation of my invention will be readily understood in the foregoing description, taken in connection with the annexed drawings. The board is placed in an inclined position in a tub, and at about the usual angle adopted for washing. The operator, alter applyingsoap to the goods, arranges the same on the corrugated plate F, and then by rubbing the goods along the plate the washing is effected. It will be observed that by having the perforations only along the arched ridges or corrugations the fabric is brought in direct contact with the perforations, thereby securing the direct action of the air, while at the same time the deep furrows separating the ridges serve to retain the suds, and thus keep the goods sufficiently damp while the washing is going on. By having the holes or perforations made countersunk the walls of the holes will not cut or wear the goods. Without this arrangement the use of perforations in a washboard would beimpra-cticable, and would have to be abandoned; but by my construction I provide a wash-board which will have less wear upon the clothes, and be less laborious to use. In the rubbing process both air and suds are forced through the fabric at each pressure of the goods upon the board, the action effectingarapid cleansing, and enabling the work to be performed with facility. It will be observed that the perforated plate F does not have any backing to support it, but is held in place by the rods G. The ordinary board back used on waslr oards makes a very inelegant and cumbersome frame-work, and, besides, serves to confine suicient moisture these rods being IOO which corrodes the zinc; but by having a perforated plate entirely independent of any frame-work, the wash-board is made light, strong, and durable, and will allow the plate to dry readily, thereby preventing corrosion of the zinc from collections of moisture.

As shown in Fig. 3, the perforated plate is arched or made higherin the center, and slopes downward toward each side edge. As the rods G are arranged in rear of the plate F on each side of its central line and bear against the inner face of the plate of the arched center, the latter is held from yielding` inward by con stant use.

It will be understood that the arched construction of the perforated plate is more desirable for use than a dat surface, since it enables the main portion of the board to come out more readily in action while the washing is being performed.

In order to define the nature, scope, and advantages of my invention. I would have it understood that heretofore it has been proposed to construct a wasl1board with a perforated boly or backing, and having a tinted or ribbed rubbing-board made of glass and secured over thebacking. Holes were provided in the furrows between the ribs ofthe rubbingboard, to register with the perforations of the body, so that while rubbing the clothes soapsuds could find a ready escape. My invention differs from this in many particulars, inasmuch as I provide the perforations in the ridges, and not in the furrows, enabling the latter to retain the suds', and in this manner the perforations perform an entirely different function, since they allow the air to circulate through the clothes during the rubbing process. Furthermore, in the construction above disclaimed the suds will not be retained between the ridges of the rubbingboard, as in my arrangement. l

Having described my invention, I claim- A wash-board provided with a corrugated rubbing-surface forming ridges separated by furrows or depressions and holes or perforations provided in the ridges only for the oirculatiou of air, the furrows being imperforate, and thus serving to retain a supply of suds, as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE l?. FULLER.

Witnesses:

EDWARD G. SIGGERs, G. B. HARRIs. 

